BEST Websites for Kids

When I set out to find the best websites for kids I wanted to make sure that the sites had real educational value and were easy to use. I did not want any sites included that asked for any information, not even an email address. Websites that had too much advertising were avoided. And, finally, I wanted the sites to be free or very low cost.
I always advise parents to look at any sites before sharing them with your kids so that you know exactly what is on each site.
So with that in mind, here are my choices:
Starfall
Starfall is a website that helps children learn to read. It has everything from learning your ABCs to reading books. The graphics are colorful, attractive and simple to click on. The audio is clear and easy to understand. Best of all it is a jump and go site. No login and nothing to click through to get started. They also offer free printable worksheets to practice writing. And it is all FREE. Starfall can be accessed from any computer with an internet connection. The site is listed for Kindergarten through second grade, but preschool kids enjoy learning their letters and struggling readers may enjoy it also.
PBS Kids
PBS Kids is a wonderful site that has lots of familiar characters that children love: Clifford the Big Red Dog, Arthur, Maya and Miguel, and Sesame Street, just to name a few. The pictures are bright and attractive and the audio is great. For older children, ZOOM is a favorite. They have games to play and free printable worksheets. PBS Kids is a jump and go website as well. No login and nothing to click through to get started.
One of the great things about PBS Kids is that some of the areas of the site are companions to the television shows seen on PBS. Between the Lions, Reading Rainbow, Maya and Miguel are all represented in the website. Once again, this site is FREE. PBS Kids is recommended for children preschool through elementary.
If this were not enough, they have great parenting pages!
The Literacy Center
This website is much smaller than the others; however, I like it because it is simple to navigate for preschoolers and kindergarteners. The have cute online games in English/Spanish/German/French for children learning colors, letters, numbers and shapes. This is a great place for ESL (English as a Second Language) to begin saying the words in English. Some children may enjoy learning the Spanish, German or French words for fun. The audio is very clear. This is also a jump and go site. And it is FREE.
Guys Read
Jon Scieczka, a famous children's author, created the Guys Read website in order to promote literacy for boys. It is an established fact that boys don't always take to reading willingly. I have seen this in my own classroom and there have been studies done on this very subject. So how can we encourage boys to read more? One of the ways is to provide boys with books and other reading materials that they enjoy. The Guys Read website was created to give guys (little guys and big guys) a place where they can find books that are interesting. There is also a forum called Readerville where they can talk with other guys about the books they are reading.
Scholastic, Inc.
You may be familiar with the name Scholastic. They are a publishing company that has been serving the educational community for years. They have Book fairs at schools, Book clubs and offer online lessons for a fee. But, lucky for us there are many free activities your child will enjoy. Scholastic is the home of the Magic School Bus and the famous Miss Frizzle! You will also find Clifford the Big Red Dog and other favorites. The younger children will need some help to navigate the website at first. There are plenty of activities to do and they have parent pages as well.
Clifford's Interactive Storybooks
This area of the Scholastic website is located within the teacher pages. Children can listen to the stories and practice reading. It's lots of fun!
National Zoo
The National Zoo is part of the Smithsonian Institution. The website is excellent. If you have a child that likes animals, you must visit this site. The site is jump and go, meaning you can start exploring immediately. Younger children will need help searching. The live animal cams are very popular! The photo gallery has excellent pictures as well. So much information is available you really need some time to explore and even then you will always find something new to discover on subsequent visits.
The San Diego Zoo also has a great website.
Enchanted Learning
This website is HUGE and covers everything from the Alphabet to Zoology. The information on this website (over 20,000 pages) is available to everyone for FREE. You can just view or view and printout the pages. This website does not offer interactive games; however, if I had to choose just one website to have available to my students it would be this one. I said students, rather than children for a reason. The information on this site is so extensive that even college students could use it for basic research. (I have.) I am not kidding. You have got to see this for yourself.
As I said, all of the information is free, but they do offer a membership. Members can print out all of the pages with no ads showing.
I cannot believe that so many people have never heard of Enchanted Learning. I would expect that a membership to this site would cost at least $50/year if not more, but no - and it's not $40 or $30 either. For just $20/year your entire family can benefit from this BEST Educational Website Ever! (and remember - if you don't want to become a member, you can still enjoy all of the benefits for free)
BookPALS Story Online
BookPALS is presented by the Screen Actors Guild Foundation. Celebrities read children's books aloud. The site also features activities for kids. The audio is excellent and it has lots of great pictures. It is a jump and go site, but a speedy computer is needed, otherwise it can take a long time to load and the buffer won't take it without pauses.
abcteach
abcteach is the greatest! This is the favorite website of teachers. There are so many things you can print and use from coloring pages to reading comprehension practice. They also have a fabulous math section. The website has now introduced an area for middle school students. In order to be fully functional the membership fee is $35/year; however, over 5000 pages are available for free. In addition to the great reading activities at abcteach you can find flashcards, puzzles, mazes, clip art, report covers and so much more. This is a great place to find excellent printables. Parents will have to choose and print the activities for younger children.
Go surf for fun!
Ali Rae is a freelance writer and former teacher/tutor.

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